


Managing

by OhanaHoku



Series: Hawaii Five-0 One Shots [1]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Background Character Death, Brotp, Episode: s03e20 Olelo Pa'a (The Promise), Friendship, Gen, Gen Fic, Grieving, Hugs, No Slash, Protective Danny "Danno" Williams, Sad Steve McGarrett, Worried Danny "Danno" Williams, platonic hugs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-25
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2019-06-16 00:36:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15425139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhanaHoku/pseuds/OhanaHoku
Summary: After Freddie's funeral Steve needs some time. Some alone time and some time with his ohana. Danny understands this.





	Managing

**Author's Note:**

> I've been having a long streak of writers block on my ongoing stories. Decided to try a three word prompt to get back in the game. Prompt: Sea. Whistle. Cry.

    He held up. For the funeral, for Freddie. He made it through giving his friend’s dog tags to his daughter, to the little girl that Freddie would never get to see grow up. To a little girl who would go through life without her father.

 

    He made it through his team showing up at the ceremony. He held them tight as they hugged him and forced back the tears that threatened at the corners of his eyes. He held it all in, the guilt and the grief and the anger.

 

    Kono had hugged him, brief and hard and told him, “You did good, Boss.” He had to hold back the anger, the absolute rage that bubbled up inside him, screaming because he didn’t do any good. He should have saved Freddie, he should have refused to leave him behind. Instead he conjures up a surprisingly steady smile for the young woman.

 

    Chin had stepped up next, giving Steve a light hug, patting his back before pulling away with a kind smile on his face and a, “It’s good to have you back, Steve.” That’s when the guilt hit hard as regret welled in Steve’s chest, heavy and tumultuous, because it should have been him. He should have been the one to die that day, not Freddie. Freddie had so much to look forward to in his life; the only thing in Steve’s future was the next mission and the one after that. Steve managed a shaky smile and a quiet, “Good to be back.”

 

    Then Danny, his best friend for almost four years now, came up to him. He didn’t smile, he didn’t say a word, just wrapped his arms around Steve firmly. It wasn’t so much a hug as it was an embrace, a safe place for Steve to hide for a moment and rest after everything that happened in Afghanistan. That was when the grief came to the fore, intense sadness nearly overwhelming him. His eyes were shut tightly, keeping the tears at bay as he gripped Danny’s shirt.

 

    Danny didn’t pull away, didn’t offer words of reassurance. He knew Steve wasn’t ready to be consoled with words, so he just stood there, a steady presence for Steve to lean on, eyes warning anyone over Steve’s shoulder to stay away for the time being until Steve gathered himself and  finally pulled back, his eyes a little red around the edges, but filled with gratitude. “Thanks, Danno.”

 

    His best friend just smiled, a sad tinge to it and nodded, patting Steve’s shoulder companionably. “You’re welcome, babe. It’s what I’m here for.”

 

*************************

 

    Steve held out for three hours after the funeral. He made it home. He made lunch. He made himself get changed out of his uniform before its formality could suffocate him. Then he took to the ocean, diving into the water and swimming under the waves out to sea. He swam as long as he dared before coming up for breath, only to dive down again.

 

    The ocean calmed him, the swirling currents pushing and pulling around him in organized chaos, his own twisted emotions slowly following the ocean’s example until they stopped conflicting with each other and flowed together in perfect sync.

 

    That was when Steve swam back to shore, sitting in the sand as he finally allowed the tears to come. They dripped down his face, mingling with the saltwater on his skin, only distinguished by the warm trails they left on his cheeks.

 

    Twenty minutes later his tears had slowed to a stop, his face mostly dry. He never cried for long, he’d been conditioned during his service that way. There was hardly ever time for tears, the few moments that he let himself cry were always cut short, so even now he moved on quickly. On the outside he was calm and composed, but inside it took a little longer. Still he coped, he always did and somehow he managed to do so on his own.

 

    Soft whistling drew his attention, Steve looking over his shoulder to see Danny Williams walking towards him, his feet bare and two longboards in his hands.

 

    “Hey.” That was all he said as he settled on the beach next to Steve and handed him a beer.

 

    “Hey.” Steve replied in like manner, his smile thanking Danny for the drink.

 

    They sat there for a minute, sipping from their bottles before Danny broke the silence. “It was a nice ceremony. Well, the end of it was. You know, Steven, we didn’t actually see the whole thing seeing as some schmuck didn’t bother to tell us about the funeral and I had to find out about it at the last minute from Catherine.”

 

    Steve huffed softly. “It wasn’t a big deal, Danny. I appreciate you guys coming, but you didn’t have to.”

 

    “Well, that’s where we happen to disagree, but obviously I can’t get that through your thick skull.” Danny said, gesturing to Steve’s cranium.

 

    Steve shook his head, but chuckled at the familiar banter. He took a sip of his beer, looking back at Danny when he continued.

 

    “Seriously, though. You doing okay, Steve?” He asked, eyes concerned and head tilted in a show of interest that revealed to Steve how much Danny cared.

 

    Steve took a long swig of beer, thinking of how best to answer. He sighed softly, looking out over the ocean. “I miss him, Danny. It had been so long I didn’t think this would be so hard… I told his daughter that he loved her. I don’t think she even understood who I was talking about.”

 

    Danny pressed his lips together, staring at the tide coming in for a moment. “Well, maybe when she gets older she’ll understand it better. It may mean something to her then.”

 

    Steve nodded half-heartedly. “Sometimes I just wish…” He trailed off and shook his head. “Never mind. I’m just glad we finally got him home. He deserved that.”

 

    Danny nodded, holding his bottle out. “To Freddie.” He proposed, garnering a smile from Steve.

 

    “To Freddie.” He echoed, clinking the beers together and taking a long pull from his bottle.

 

    Danny did the same, finishing his beer and slapping a friendly hand on Steve’s shoulder. “For what it’s worth, Steve. I’m glad you made it out. And I know a certain nine year-old who’d agree with me.”

 

    Steve smiled softly, ducking his head a little because of course the Jersey cop would hear what he didn’t say. “Thanks, Danno.”

 

    Danny just nodded and checked his watch. “I have to pick Grace up from school, wanna come with? She’s been dying to see you.”

 

    Steve’s smile widened to a grin. “I’d love to. Actually, why don’t you pick her up and bring her back here. I’ll call Chin and Kono, invite them for a barbecue. And Gracie can go swimming if she wants.”

 

    Danny grinned, nodding. “Alright. I’ll pick up some more beer on my way over.” He got up, brushing some of the sand off before walking back to the house with a quick, “See you in a bit.”

 

    Steve just sat there for a moment longer, watching his friend’s retreating form with a smile on his face. Maybe he wouldn’t have to manage on his own anymore. With Danny Williams on his side and the rest of his team right behind him Steve could handle anything that got thrown his way.

**Author's Note:**

> I think the prompt was a success, what do you think?


End file.
